After his election to the papacy (1523-34), Clement moved the Papacy to Rome to begin the 72 year Babylonian Captivity of the papacy, it was moved to Avignon, France. When Clement VII was selected, he ruled from Avignon while Pope Urban VI ruled from Rome. This began the Great Schism of the Papacy. Clement refused to annul King Henry's marriage to Catherine because she was the Aunt of Charles V, Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Clement eventually excommunicated Henry. His alliance with Francis I, King of France, spurred the Ire of King Charles V, who marched against Rome and sacked it. Clement barely escaped with his life.
[tags]BlogRodent, Charles-V, church-history, ChurchRodent, Francis-I, Great-Schism, history, Pope-Clement-VII, Pope-Urban-VI[/tags]
In 1377 the aged Pope Gregory XI re-entered Rome, and shortly passed away. In haste the College of Cardinals elected a new pope, Pope Urban VI. In August the cardinals suddenly informed all Europe that the people of Rome had forced the election of an apostate to the chair of Peter and that the proceedings were invalid. A new College of Cardinals then elected another pope a month later, Pope Clement VII. Clement moved about Italy and eventually sailed for France and Avignon. Thus, with Urban ruling from Rome and Clement from Avignon the Great Schism began, lasting for 39 years. Each pope had his own College of Cardinals, and each pope claimed to be the true Vicar of Christ with the power to excommunicate those who did not acknowledge him. France went with Clement; Italy with Urban. The empire went with Urban; so did England. Scotland went with Clement.
Upon the death of the aged Pope Gregory XI in 1377, Pope Urban VI was elected by the College of Cardinals in a rush. By August the cardinals suddenly informed all Europe that the people of Rome had forced the election of an apostate to the chair of Peter and that the proceedings were invalid. A month later a new College of Cardinals selected another pope, Clement VII.
[tags]BlogRodent, church-history, ChurchRodent, history, Peter, Pope-Urban-VI[/tags]
